A plush toy business that started in a teenager’s bedroom generated over $10 million in revenue. In high school, Tyler Macke launched a side hustle with about $2000 from his family’s old bedroom. Each plush toy arrived in a sky-blue “Someone loves you” box with a custom note. But what he was really selling wasn’t just a toy. He was selling an experience. One that made people feel seen, loved, and remembered. Today, we’re breaking down how Tyler turned that experience into a million dollar business.
Before we dive in, here’s a quick snapshot of the basics:
- Store: Send A Friend
- Product: Plushies in care packages
- What sparked growth: TikTok user-generated content
- Initial capital: $2,000
- Where it started: an old bedroom
- Sales Revenue: Over $10 Million
Let’s hear it from Tyler’s first person perspective:
It Started With a Blue Box
In high school, I was doing some part-time design work for YouTubers in the gaming community. That pulled me deeper into graphic design, so I kept taking on freelance projects for small ecommerce brands and local businesses. I learnt how to design logos, product mockups, and some basic web builds. There was this dog-themed brand that used its Twitter every Friday to spotlight GoFundMe campaigns. Just using their platform to help people. And I thought that’s cool. I want to do something like that.
Designing graphics for different brands was fun, and when I asked myself, “What business can I build for me?” names and logos flashed through my head. So for SendAFriend, the brand actually came before the product. A bright blue box that says “Someone loves you.” I wanted to sell the unboxing surprise and the “someone loves you” moment. So what goes inside a box like that? Plushies just made sense. They’re soft, comforting, and they deliver the emotion in a way that sticks.
How Our Supply Chain Evolved as We Grew
Buying Wholesale First
I didn’t know how to source, place orders, or manage packaging at first. So I focused on what I could control: design. We built the blue Someone Loves You box first because we were selling an unboxing experience and meaningful moments. Before sourcing, I read everything I could find online. The fastest, lowest-risk path was clear: start with wholesale, not custom manufacturing—lower cost, achievable MOQs, and less risk while we proved the concept.
It took about three months of trial and error to find the right partner at the right price. The first “wholesaler” we used was actually a middle-man. They offered us a very low minimum, so we could buy a case of 24 units per style. That made launch easy and variety possible. We worked with that wholesaler for almost two years.
People often ask why I didn’t go straight into custom manufacturing. But the truth is, it depends on the business. For SendAFriend, especially in the beginning, we didn’t need to control every fabric type or fur texture. We just needed something quality enough to launch the product.
How to Avoid Getting Taken Advantage Of
When you’re just starting out, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and yes, some vendors out there will take advantage of that. So here’s what helped me stay grounded: I made sure to reach out to a variety of suppliers, not just one or two. I compared prices, got samples, and cross-checking everything saved me from making emotional decisions.
And remember this: a good supplier is thinking long-term, just like you are. If you grow, they grow. If you succeed, they sell more. So the honest ones want to see you win. Most of the time, it’s in their best interest to treat you fairly—because your growth benefits them too.
Switched to Manufacturing
As sales grew, we kept selling out after each wholesale reorder. About 18 months in, it was time to create our own designs. The shift was real: we went from the U.S. wholesale within 1 week delivery to full sampling cycles and 90-day lead times. MOQs jumped to 1,500 units per design. That sounds scary, but our wholesale phase made custom easier. Since we already knew which fabric, size, characters we needed. That knowledge made our first manufacturing run surprisingly smooth.
How We Turned Marketing Profitable
How I Fixed Losing Money on Ads
For the first two years, growth was slow: 5–10 orders a day, and paid ads were losing money. I was running SendAFriend as a side hustle and debating whether to go all-in. Once I committed full-time, the problem was obvious: marketing and paid acquisition.
I hired a media buyer to help me figure it out. We audited everything, then built phone-shot, UGC-style unboxing ads in my apartment—edited for Facebook and tested across audiences. The winner was clear: authentic, user-generated unboxing content that felt native to feeds. It resonated most with Gen Z/early-20s, and it was easy to replicate on TikTok.
That’s when things started to change. Our videos felt more like friends recommending a product than a brand running an ad. It made people stop scrolling. The unboxing moment was emotionally compelling, and the “care package” format played perfectly into content trends people were already consuming. Every week, I filmed five or six new videos, each one testing a different angle to see what message hit hardest. We kept it flexible, new hooks, new captions—double down on what converts.
Influencer Marketing?
We started reaching out to micro-influencers with a simple message: “Hey, we’d love to send you a SendAFriend package—share anything you like.” We gave them total creative freedom. Creators leaned into their own angles—kids, partners, parents, pets (yes, even a corgi and a monkey).
Some of our best-performing creatives came from this stream, which we then repurposed into ads. Seeding widely meant we got consistent, diverse content instead of a few expensive posts from top-tier influencers.
I think that when you send care packages to various people, there’s a surprisingly high chance you’ll get a video back. Some products have a broader audience than you think. Sometimes it’s not about targeting a specific demographic—it’s make it easy for anyone to tell a story with your product.
How Giving Back Converts
All of our traffic flows directly to our homepage. And because our website is simple since we don’t have a massive catalog, most customer journeys look pretty similar. First, they get drawn in by a fun unboxing video. Then, when they land on the site, they immediately see our GiveAFriend program.
That’s where the mission becomes real. We donate 10% of profits to nonprofit organizations. And we give customers the chance to send a discounted care package to someone in need of a smile. It brings people back. Because at the end of the day, they’re not just buying a plushie. They’re spreading some love.
Bundles That Boost AOV
In 2021, we started rolling out curated gift bundles, adding socks, stickers, snacks, and other feel-good extras alongside our plushies. The idea was simple: create a more complete experience, and in return, increase our average order value (AOV). Turns out, people loved it and we saw many come back to send another kit for the next occasion. The full-on care package is thoughtful, customized, and ready to gift. We made sure to launch seasonal bundles around every major holiday, plus special kits for birthdays and anniversaries.
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